The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-05


The Contests in the Senate-The House VIII
Organize without Delay
WASHINGTON. Dec 4-The first Monday in
December being the day prescribed by the
Constitution for the annual meeting of Congress
the Fifieth Congress will be called to order
at IL o'clock tomorrow. The course of events
in the Senate during the week seems 30 depend
entirely upon the ability Of the two parties to
reach a conclusion with respect to the admis-
sioa Of members elect. An examination of tbs
precedents discloses the fact that it has been
customary, Immediately after the opening
prayer. for the presiding officer TO lay before
the Senate the credsntia cf such members
elect were not already file, after the readn 2
of which the oath has been administered to
all the Senators elect in the alphabetical order
of their names. except to sucn hare been OBJ
jected to. This ceremony over, the roll has
been called, and quorum being found present,
the organization of the body has been consid-
cred complete. 1t is said to be probable that
objection will be made tomorrow by Repub-
lcans to the admission of Senators Turpie, OF
Indiana and Faulkner of West Virginia, some
leading Republicans holding that there are
good prima facie grounds for investigation of
their titles, such as exist against other Sem
ators-elect. It is presumed that Senator Hoar.
chairman Of the committee on privileges and
elections, has been looking into the matter, and
that he. If anyone. is likely to make the obiec-
tion. He has not yet arrived in Washington.
but is expected to night.
The Democrats, on the other hand holding
that the only flaws in the titles of the two Sem
ators named are merely technical propose, in
case objection Is made, to make similar OBJ
lection to the admission of certain Republicans
in whose credentials technical lapses have bean
found. This is likely to precptate a conflict
over the organization of the body which may de-
lay all other matters indefinitely. Should the
objections not be made. or should com promise
or understanding be reached, the Senate will
tomorrow appoint the customary committees to
give notice to the House OF Representatives and
to the President OF the organization of the Sem
ate, and its readiness to proceed TO business. If
both Houses complete their organization to-
morrow the Presidents message will be laid be-
fore them OF Tuesday. TIE remainder of III,
week in the Senate is likely to witness nothing
in the way of general legislation except the in
PRODUCTION of bills. Caucuses likely to take
place to fill vacancies the several commit
tees, and il is probable that the great number of
vacancies will give rise TO a general Ieadjnst-
ment the entire committee list
A good deal of time Is likely to be spent by
the Senate during the early weeks of the session
in secret session. long list of recess appoint
meuts will be submitted oy the President for
confirmation
The House will be called to order at noon by
Mr.. Clarke. the Clerk of the preceding House,
and after a quorum of members have responded
their names s. call of the roll. the work Of
organization will be proceeded with. The
Speaker having been duly elected and the oath
of Office administered to him by Mr.. Kelley, Of
Pennsylvania. the EN- bers-elect will take their
stand in front of the Speakers desk and qualify.
No hitch will occur in this proceeding, there
is no member whose prima facie right to a seat
is questioned. The next business will be the
drawing for seats, which will consume the re-
mainder of the 6ay On Tuesday the Presi-
dents message will be received. read, and re-
ferred TO the committee of the whole
It has been customary. for some years past, TO
the introduction OF bills for reference to the ap-
propriate committees when appointed, but this
practice has led to much confusion in the
docksting and care of the papers, before the
committees have organized and selected q proper
custodian for tnem that many OF the most
perisnced Congressman are of opinion that it
should be abolished, and probably effort viii
be made to prevent the introduction of bills
til Speaker Carlisle shall have announced his
committee appointments. Until these jmpor-
tant adJuncts are supplied, no real legislative
business be accomplished by the House
The Speaker has already begun to sketch
out their organization, but as was the
case in the last Congress, he
anticipates much difficulty in perfectine them.
In the Forty fourth and Fortv-fifth Congresses
the committees were appointed within two weeks
after the beginning of the first session. but
since then more time has been consumed in the
organization. and in the last two Congresses it
was not perfected before the holiday recess.
Owing to the close division of the new House on
party lines and the large number of new and
untried members whose personal preferences in
the assignments it Is customary to consider to
the largest extent compatible with party policy,
it seems probable that the work OF selecting tho
committees will again OCCUPY Speaker Cariisles
time nearly quite ND to Christmas. Mean
while no legislative business of Importance can
be transacted, and the House will probably con-
the short sessions intervening between
frequent adjournments, or perhaps "recessesS
of two or three days each, in debates OF polit-
ical character
At the beginning of the Forty Congress
the chief topic of interest in House circles was
the proposed change of rules which was intend
ed to restrict the power OF the committee
appropriations Though such Wholesale
vision CT the rules as then took place Is again
contemplated the customary motion 10 adopt
the rules OF the preceding House will undoubt-
edly give rise to some debate, and an effort will
be made to amend them IN some important par
ticulars. Previous to the last change there
a dead-lettsr rule in the manual, requiring the
committee on appropriations 10 report all tho
appropriation bills within thirty days after its
appointment. and this rule IL is proposed TO
enact and enforce with reference to all commit
tees having general approximation bills within
their jurisdiction. 1t will be amended.
however so to extend to sixty days
the time within which such bills must
be reported during the long session,
while leaving thirty days the maximum for
the short session strong effort will be Inade
to have IA rule adopted to prohibit the introduc
tlon or prlrate oills IN open House. ana require
that all these measures snail reach the appro-
pirate mmittees through the medium of the
petition box. This would effect a saving of time
to the House and of expense TO the government.
At present l, 800 copies printed of every bill
Introduced, and as large minority OF the pri-
vate measures referred TO committees remain
there buried their printing involves an arpar
entity needless expenditure of money. Should
the proposed rule be adopted, no private bill
will be printed until it is acted Upon By the
mittee and reported TO the House for its consid
Grafton.